I took a walk tonight up to the local coffeehouse to listen to music and get a cup of cocoa. The coffee house is a mile away; a very pleasant walk on a crispy night like this. The walk took me past street after "lit-up-for-Christmas" street. This year, the unspoken theme is white lights, and about 80% of the houses comply. I miss the colors. I thought to come home and decorate my own house - which is dark this year - in bright colors.
After 20 minutes, I arrived, got my cocoa, found a seat and listened to three songs before the musician broke for intermission. There were perhaps 20 people in the room - mostly friends and family, it seemed. It reminded me of Friday night Shabat on the Kibbutz in Israel so many years ago, when after dinner we would sing or perform skits for each other. Nothing to shake the earth with, but lots to warm the heart. I had gone to the coffee house hoping for stellar music, and instead found community and pleasant memories.
I left soon after intermission, and came home by a different route. This time I admired the labors of my neighbors. What a lot of work it took to put up the lights and adjust them "just so". By the time I got back home, I had a lot more patience with the white Christmas lights. It's what the community is doing this year, and why would I want to complain about that?
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